In a key step towards the end of the coronavirus pandemic, children up to 6 years old will be tested for the virus Covid-19 vaccine. Oxford University has launched a new study to assess its safety vaccine with AstraZeneca in children for the first time.
In a new statement, the university says the trial will assess the immune response in children aged 6 to 17, a successful age group carry by school closures due to the pandemic. About 300 volunteers are enrolled, who are expected to receive the first vaccines this month.
In the blinded randomized study, up to 240 participants will receive the COVID vaccine, while the control group will receive a meningitis vaccine, which is safe for children and produces a similar reaction.
“While most children are not relatively affected by the coronavirus and are unlikely to be infected with the infection, it is important to establish safety and immune response to the vaccine in children and young people, as some children may benefit of vaccination, ”said Andrew Pollard, the chief investigator of the trials. “These new trials will expand our understanding of SARS-CoV2 control to younger age groups.”
Several vaccines, including the Oxford / AstraZeneca formulas and the Pfizer and Moderna formulas, which are widely used worldwide, have been shown to be very effective in preventing symptomatic infection. The new Oxford data earlier this month also provide the first evidence that its vaccine can not only prevent people from getting sick with COVID-19, but can help substantially reduce its spread in the community.
The United Kingdom approved the emergency use of the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine in late December. Vaccine approval was widely held as it is cheaper to produce and easier to transport and store than other approved vaccines.
Researchers hope spreading the vaccine to children will help alleviate some of the pandemic’s negative impacts on young people around the world.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound negative impact on the education, social development and emotional well-being of children and adolescents, beyond illness and the presentation of serious and rare diseases,” said Rinn Song, of the Oxford Vaccine Group. “Therefore, it is important to collect data on the safety and immune response to our coronavirus vaccine in these age groups, so that they can benefit from inclusion in vaccination programs in the near future.”
Clinical trials are also underway in the US, from vaccine developers Pfizer and Modern to test the safety and effectiveness of doses in children. Dr. Anthony Fauci said last month that he hopes American children can be vaccinated “when we get to late spring and early summer.”